Not enough healthcare providers are talking to cancer patients about the costs of coverage, according to a new study.
Nearly one-in-four cancer patients are skipping treatments because they can not afford the costs, according to the study, released last month by the Cancer Support Community, and more than two-out-of-three cancer patients did not discuss the costs of prior to beginning treatment. An additional 10% of patients could not remember whether a discussion about costs was had at the time of diagnosis and discussing treatment.
This is not altogether surprising given research showing that doctors are not prepared to discuss or comfortable discussing cost of care with their patients (Schrag et al., 2007). Doctors are being tasked with controlling costs through bundled reimbursement and cost containment strategies. In addition to clinical expertise, doctors are now expected to be knowledgeable in the wide variety of health care coverage plans and copays across the health care insurance market. Additional resources are needed to help prepare physicians and patients to have productive conversations about the cost of care.
Doctors and healthcare providers appear to be unprepared or uncomfortable having a financial discussion with cancer patients, especially, based on the results of the survey, which polled nearly 1,000 cancer survivors nationwide.
The financial toll of cancer treatments can be as “distressing” as the physical toll, according to the report.
To address some of the nancial toxicity associated with cancer care, it is important to educate and empower people with cancer to understand their health coverage, seek nancial assistance programs and advocate for themselves if recommended care is denied. Taking control and understanding the nuances of insurance coverage can help alleviate some of the distress caused by nancial toxicity.
The National Cancer Institute says that the costs for treating patients with cancer was $157 billion in 2010 and that will rise to $174 billion by 2020. Patients diagnosed with cancer are facing a more challenging road given the uncertainty of healthcare reform and concerns over the current economic situation.
Access to cancer care appears to be more than adequate, but the financial side of the equation has not yet caught up.
At the same time, approximately 43% of survey participants reported higher than expected out-of-pocket costs and 78% of participants reported that cost of care conversations with their health care team did not take place, or don’t recall whether cost of care was discussed prior to starting treatment. Leading areas of concerns include the cost of insurance coverage, with approximately 48% reporting signi cant concerns about high deductibles, premiums and out-of-pocket costs for services. In this context, education is a critical piece of improving access to care. People with cancer need help considering their treatment options and the associated costs so that they have a clear understanding of what to expect. Likewise, providers need better resources to enable them to communicate with patients about cost.
